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steel media

can someone school me the this type of cleaning brass with steel media & what your using for a tumbler to do this cleaning and does it hurt the brass which is a lot softer.
 
This is one of the first units to be targeted for case cleaning. It can be used with, or without, stainless steel media (pins, chips…) that impinge on the surfaces to enhance cleaning. Tumbling, with or without media, will likely result in small peen marks on the case mouth end face.

If you’re desiring very clean internal surfaces and primer pockets, this is the ticket. Many will contend that clean surfaces are not necessary, some will opine that it’s detrimental to accuracy. You simply have to decide for yourself!

 
I prefer the chips over the pins. The pins have a tendency to get stuck in flash holes or the case. Chips will not get stuck.

I don't remember which chips I have used but they were very flat. Might have been from Ammo Brass.
 
Thumblers Tumbler High Speed Model B is what have running or years.
I started with Pins from STM- My pins do not stick in any flash holes.
STM Stainless Tumbling Media https://www.stainlesstumblingmedia.com/#:~:text=Using stainless steel media to clean
used to have two pin sizes. Do not recall the size I bought. But I am into the chips now days and just combined them with the pins I had. Reduced tumbling time.

Place on Facebook is where I think I got the chips from.

Dawn and a touch (no more) of lemishine, I use the dry sprinkle leminshine. But I love Brass Juice. It just works and takes a tiny bit.

Large tumbler is not required for small batches, I started on a Harbor Freight dual drum rock tumbler way back and still have it for smaller batches. But I like the Thumblers.

There are many makes out there now. The FA large and small units both work great. I like the Thumblers due to the drum liner. It is more quiet.

Brass Juice
 
Unless you have dirty range pickup you dont really need pins. I don't even own pins. I FLS and then tumble with dawn and lemi shine for 15 min to remove the wax, thats it. I mandrel and trim after tumbling.
 
Personaly , for the nasty range pick up stuff I put my faith in a 1hr. wet tumble dawn, lemie shine and pins. I do this before depriming to protect my dies and keep them clean. A fellow I worked with gave me 2 five gallon buckets of range pick up pistol brass so I am set. I use this to work up to loads and dont care if i find all spent rounds. My Starline brass is treated very differently and has yet to be in the tumbler but thats not saying I wouldnt wet tumble Starline brass. Just sayin.
 
I prefer the chips over the pins. The pins have a tendency to get stuck in flash holes or the case. Chips will not get stuck.

I don't remember which chips I have used but they were very flat. Might have been from Ammo Brass.
Yeah, K9TXS is right on target about pins. I've been using them for a while now and the results are great, cases come out looking newly manufactured. However, the pins will become stuck in flash holes and inside some cases, .38/.357 and 5.56 seem to be the worst. I'll be switching to steel chips soon, after I get a few more miles on the pins.
 
I use Frankford arsenal and have been very pleased with it. Of course I only clean about 1000 rounds per year so not real high volume.
 

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